U.S. women's soccer thwarts top squads to garner Best Team ESPY

LOS ANGELES -- The U.S. women's national soccer team continued its World Cup afterparty Wednesday, taking home the ESPY for Best Team to cap the 23rd annual show that celebrates all things sports and more.

Abby Wambach accepted the award as fellow team members, dressed in their Sunday best, lined the stage beside her, leaving the savvy veteran to make her second meaningful speech of the night.

"You guys believed in us the entire seven games, since four years ago when we fell short to 10 days ago when we won it," Wambach said in the three-hour show's last moments. "We lifted the trophy. We did this for American and our fans. You guys are the best. We love you so much."

The U.S. women won the Best Team ESPY over a group of heavyweights in the Warriors, Blackhawks, Patriots, the Ohio State football team and the UConn women's basketball team. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Wambach, an Olympic gold medalist and the heart of the U.S. women's team, had earlier taken the stage in a lengthy presentation for the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, which went to Caitlyn Jenner.

The spotlight was again hers to finish out the show, held at L.A. Live's Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

"I'm so happy I have these girls to celebrate this with," Wambach said. "It's been the best 10 days of our lives. We're going to celebrate it. We hope you guys can hang out with all of us later. But really, thank you guys so much -- ESPN, what an honor. We are going to celebrate this even more tonight. Thank you so much for having us."

Actor and comedian Joel McHale hosted and put on a monologue that featured jokes about Donald Trump deporting Triple Crown jockey Victor Espinoza to Mexico, the lack of action in the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight and the ability of NFL players to injure themselves with fireworks -- quips that were not alone among the comedy high points in the show.

Fan voting for the ESPYS was conducted online and based on performances spanning the past 12 months.

ESPY voters tabbed Peyton Manning's eclipsing of Brett Favre's career touchdowns mark as the Best Record-breaking Performance, an award the Broncos quarterback accepted to jump-start the proceedings.

Manning, who supplanted Favre with his 509th career touchdown in an October rout of the 49ers, topped Devin Hester, for career runback TDs; Lauren Chamberlain, for NCAA softball home runs; and Klay Thompson, for NBA points in a quarter.

"I'm truly blessed to be able to play the game of football, and I humbly accept this award," said Manning, who was accompanied for the night by his daughter, Mosley, who was flanked by Favre and his wife as Manning accepted the award.

LeBron James soon followed Manning onto the stage, garnering the Best Championship Performance ESPY.

"Second place got me this -- it wasn't expected at all," said James, who gave a nod to the NBA champion Warriors in attendance.

Rousey thanked her mother in her acceptance speech before saying, "I'm living such a lucky and blessed life, and I'm trying my best to deserve it."

But if one highlight stood out among the many, it was likely to be found among the ESPY's legacy awards, punctuated by the Arthur Ashe Courage Award that went to Jenner.

Wambach's speech was accompanied with a video tribute narrated by actor Jon Hamm. It told much of Jenner's life story, showcased by a gold-medal-winning Olympic decathlon performance from 1976.

"Wow, I have to talk after that? Thank you so much. It is so wonderful to be here tonight," Jenner said after taking the stage.

An upbeat Jenner, dressed in a floor-length white ball gown, asked the "fashion police" to be kind. She then took a serious tone while detailing and illustrating the difficulties transgender people face.

"This transition has been harder than anything I could imagine," said Jenner, adding that she wasn't alone and thanking "those who came before me."

It was Jenner's first major public appearance since the former Bruce Jenner announced last month she would now be known as Caitlyn.

"It's about what happens from here," Jennier said. "It's not just about one person. It's about thousands of people. It's not just about me. It's about all of us accepting one another."

The ESPY Icon Award went to Derek Jeter, the former New York Yankees shortstop and a future Hall of Famer. In a surprising twist, the award was presented to Jeter by Boston's own Ben Affleck.

"In retirement I've come to realize being a part of the larger world of sports is a gift and an honor," Jeter said while thanking the award winners and nominees, among others.

Leah Still was not well enough to travel to Los Angeles to accept the award with her father, who received the award and delivered a speech in which he thanked a slew of supporters before a message from Leah Still played behind him on video screens.

"Sorry I couldn't be there everybody, but thank you for supporting me while I beat up cancer," Leah Still said.

Lauren Hill, the Mount St. Joseph freshman basketball player who inspired people with her fight against brain cancer and raised over $1.5 million for cancer research before she died April 10, was honored with the Best Moment ESPY in another special presentation.

Hill's mother and father attended the show, gave remarks and received the award in their daughter's memory.